Poinsettia plant named ‘Eckallyn’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Poinsettia  plant named ‘Eckallyn’, characterized by its ball-shaped inflorescences with recurved dark pink-colored flower bracts; recurved dark green-colored leaves; uniform plant habit; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Eckallyn.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Eckallyn’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Poinsettia cultivars having strong stems, reflexed flower bracts with desirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Winred, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,042. The new Poinsettia was discovered and selected by the Inventor within a population of plants of the cultivar Winred in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. The selection of this plant was based on its strong stems and reflexed dark pink-colored flower bracts.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif., since 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Poinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Eckallyn’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Eckallyn’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Ball-shaped inflorescences with recurved pink-colored flower         bracts.     -   2. Recurved dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Uniform plant habit.     -   4. Strong erect stems.     -   5. Response time about 9.5 weeks.     -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Poinsettia are most similar to the parent, the cultivar Winred. Plants of the new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the parent in flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar Winred have red-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Eckaddis, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,782. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Eckaddis in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were taller than plants of the         cultivar Eckaddis.     -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about three or four         days later than plants of the cultivar Eckaddis.     -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia had smaller flower bracts than         plants of the cultivar Eckaddis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Poinsettia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Poinsettia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Eckallyn’.

The photograph at bottom of the sheet is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Eckallyn’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Poinsettia has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif. during the autumn and winter under commercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures about 24° C., night temperatures about 19° C., and light levels about 4,000 foot-candles. Single plants were grown in 16.5-cm pots with three plants per plant and were grown as single stems. Plants were flowered under natural season short day/long night conditions. Plants were about 18 weeks from unrooted cuttings when the photographs and the detailed botanical description were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. cultivar     Eckallyn. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. cultivar Winred, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     12,042. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20 to 22° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at 24° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous and freely-branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Narrow inverted triangle; strong and erect             stems.         -   Growth habit.—Upright and uniform plant habit. Moderately             vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 15 cm.         -   Branch description.—Quantity: Grown as a single stem, all             laterals are removed and only the terminal branch develops.             Length: About 30 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Internode length:             About 1.75 cm. Strength: Strong, stiff. Texture: Smooth;             glabrous. Color: 144B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 10 cm. Width: About 8.2 cm. Shape: Roughly cordate.             Apex. Acuminate; twisted. Base: Rounded to cordate. Margin:             Entire. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Glabrous; rugose. Orientation: Recurved. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker             than 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: More gray than 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147C.             Venation, lower surface: 147C to 147D. Petiole: Length:             About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia. One inflorescence per terminal branch. Flower             bracts recurved, inflorescences ball-shaped. Flowers are not             fragrant. Flowers persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter in Northern             Hemisphere. Flower initiation and development is induced             under long nyctoperiod conditions. Response time, about 9.5             weeks; natural season flower maturity date is early December             for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.         -   Post-production longevity.—Plants of the new Poinsettia             maintain good substance and bract color for about four weeks             under interior conditions.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 12 cm. Height (depth):             About 7.5 cm.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 26. Length,             largest bracts: About 6.5 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             5 cm. Shape: Cordate to elliptic. Apex. Acuminate, curled.             Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire; slightly sinuate. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous; velvety; rugose.             Orientation: Recurved. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: 52A to             52B. Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: 52B.             Fully developed bracts, upper surface: 52B. Fully developed             bracts, lower surface: 51B. Venation, upper and lower             surfaces: Similar to flower bract color. Bract petiole:             Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 59B.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity: About ten per corymb. Diameter of cyathia             cluster: About 2 cm by 2.5 cm. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: 144B. Color,             mature: 144C. Peduncle: Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:             Smooth; glabrous. Color: 144C. Stamens: Quantity per             cyathium: About 15 to 20. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length:             Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 162A. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pollen color: 7A. Pistils: None observed. Nectaries:             Quantity per cyathium: One. Size: About 4 mm by 7 mm. Color:             23A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Poinsettias has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘Eckallyn’, as illustrated and described. 